Garry Shandling on 'Saturday Night Live'

The late, great Garry Shandling was a comedy god, revered by fans and fellow comedians alike for his dry, often sarcastic quips.

He only hosted Saturday Night Live once, on May 16, 1987. At the time, he was starring in It’s Garry Shandling’s Show on Showtime, where he played a neurotic, self-absorbed stand-up comic (basically a version of himself). The series was known for Shandling breaking the fourth wall, and he brought that same irreverence to Studio 8H when he hosted SNL.

Photos: Garry Shandling’s Memorable TV and Film Roles

Shandling started off the night with a monologue about… what his monologue should be about. In “Returning a Sweater,” he broke the fourth wall to praise cast member Jan Hooks, who was playing a department store clerk. “God, is she great, or what? It’s just like being in as department store. Good job, Jan! Jan Hooks, ladies and gentlemen, give her a hand!” Shandling gushed.

He continued to smash through the wall, describing how he first met Hooks at a party. And toward the end of the sketch, he even thanked Hooks and Phil Hartman. “It was a great sketch,” he said.

It was unlike anything SNL had ever aired, and probably unlike anything it ever will air in the future. Garry Shandling, you will be missed.